1. Ernest Torrence was born to Colonel Henry Torrence Thayson and Jessie on 26 June 1878, in Edinburgh, Scotland, and as a child was an exceptional pianist and operatic baritone and graduated from the Stuttgart Conservatory, Edinburgh Academy before earning a scholarship at London's Royal Academy of Music.
Ernest Torrence toured with the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in such productions as The Emerald Isle, Little Hans Andersen and The Talk of the Town before disarming vocal problems set in and he was forced to abandon this career path.
Sometime prior to 1900, he changed the spelling of Torrance to Ernest Torrence and dropped the name Thomson.
Ernest Torrence received significant acclaim with Modest Suzanne in 1912, and a prominent role in The Night Boat in 1920 brought him to the attention of the early Hollywood filmmakers.
Ernest Torrence created the role of the painter Andrew McMurray in Victor Herbert's The Only Girl.
Ernest Torrence played the despicable adversary Luke Hatburn in Tol'able David opposite Richard Barthelmess and immediately settled into films for the rest of his career and life.
Ernest Torrence played an old codger in the acclaimed classic western The Covered Wagon and gained attention from his roles in The Hunchback of Notre Dame as Clopin, king of the beggars, and with Betty Bronson in Peter Pan as the dastardly Captain Hook.
Ernest Torrence played an Army General who escapes into the circus world and becomes a clown in The Side Show of Life.
Ernest Torrence appeared in other silent film classics such as The King of Kings and Steamboat Bill, Jr.
Ernest Torrence made the transition into talking films very well, starring in Fighting Caravans with Gary Cooper and Lili Damita.
Ernest Torrence was able to play a notable nemesis, Dr Moriarty, to Clive Brook's Sherlock in Sherlock Holmes in one of his last roles.